ACh/dopamine crosstalk in motor control and reward: a crucial role for alpha 6-containing nicotinic receptors?
The midbrain dopaminergic system is a key element in the control of motor activity, cognition, and the motivational effects of drugs of abuse, including nicotine. In this issue of Neuron, Drenan et al. find that alpha6-containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors might selectively activate mesolimbic and mesostriatal dopaminergic neurons, enhancing striatal dopamine release and its behavioral consequences.
Calabresi
Paolo
P
Clinica Neurologica, Università degli Studi di Perugia, 06156 Perugia, Italy; IRCCS, Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00143 Rome, Italy. calabre@unipg.it
Di Filippo
Massimiliano
M
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D020239:Receptor Cross-Talk / Q000502:physiology*; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000502:physiology*; D012201:Reward
D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; C104518:nicotinic receptor alpha6; D000109:Acetylcholine; D004298:Dopamine